But Not Regret
by Rising Dragon
Summary: As the final battle with Dr. Weil rages on, Zero makes peace with his past, and steps forward to his destiny with no regrets and peace in his heart.


Mega Man Zero

But Not Regret

_"Not bad… hero!"_

The transformed Dr. Weil yelled out as explosions ripped out of the mechanical frame of Ragnarok's core fused to his own body. The domed room reverberated from the blast, shaking greatly as the gouts of fire lashed out at it, tearing the thick cables on the ground, lashing out against the core's original protective covering. I threw up a gauntleted hand as bright light lanced out of the grievous wound that ran the length of the mad scientist's new form, the wound that had been caused by my own glowing blade. Soon more rays of light lanced out from the other wounds that peppered his body, and I took a step back, shielding myself with the Z-Saber.

An expanding wave of fire suddenly burst out of every opening on his body, engulfing Weil in a gigantic orb of fire that only grew larger. The shockwave of the blast pushed me back, and as the rumbling chamber began to fall apart and chunks of it fell to the floor, I twisted around and dove behind one of the pieces, using it as a makeshift barricade. Quite soon, the room was filled with iridescent white light. I knew I had to escape. But how could I escape a falling deathtrap?

That was my dilemma. My mission was to enter the core of Ragnarok and destroy it. That way, the resulting explosion would scatter the debris of the falling weapon and eliminate it as a threat to Earth and the humans. I quickly jumped out of the way as the force of the explosion destroyed everything around me, sending my cover flying though the wall and into the vacuum of space. The ground continued to shake as the entire room was blown apart, leaving only a gaping hole in the floor where Weil had been hovering over.

The first thing I noticed was the heat. It was the heat of atmospheric reentry, as Ragnarok still plummeted towards Earth. The only thing left intact were the whipping cables that had surrounded the floor around the core's resting place. That was all that remained of Weil's arena, letting me view the expansive surface of Ragnarok, its metal plating gaining a reddish hue as it began to heat up within the atmosphere. As it was, I could see large chunks of the superheated metal warp and give way as they lifted off into the sky. That was what clued me in to the fact that I had not yet destroyed Ragnarok's core. But Weil was gone, and he had been fused with it! What had happened? Where had I gone wrong? Had I… failed?

I couldn't believe it. It was ironic as to how similar this entire situation was to Eurasia's own attempted descent to the planet's surface. However, there was no space shuttle to stop it from destroying the humans this time.

_Whatever hell you were thrown into, Sigma, I'm sure you're smiling in triumph now. Looks like you got what you wanted. Looks like Weil did your dirty work for you._

The entire space-borne weapon shuddered and rocked violently, causing me to stagger. I kneeled to steady myself out as the short tremor passed, then stood up again. I brought a hand to the side of my helmet and activated the long-range communicator built into it and shouted back to the Resistance's campsite near Area Zero. Another smaller tremor nearly knocked me off my feet.

"Agh!" I cried out as I tried to remain steady. I quickly balanced myself and shouted into the small mouthpiece that was protruding from the corner of the helmet.

"I can't stop the descent!"

The headset crackled, and soon I heard a young woman's voice, full of worry, come alive in my ear.

"Zero!" Ciel shouted, "Reaching critical speed! If it goes any faster, I won't be able to get you back! _Hurry!_"

The pretty blonde scientist wanted me to return to Earth before the space station collided and eliminated. But I didn't want to go. Somehow I had to stop Ragnarok from destroying Area Zero.

Area Zero. It had seemed familiar to me when Neige first mentioned it to Ciel and me. Later, after the Resistance had looked into it, we had been informed that it was the resting site of Eurasia, a space colony that had been destroyed in the Maverick Wars. I remembered, then. Remembered how it had been filled with a computer virus not unlike the Sigma Virus. A virus whose only purpose was to meld with Sigma's own virus, to form an even more powerful, more dangerous virus that had once been produced by my original body.

I had refrained from telling Ciel about the rest of the history of Eurasia. Of how I had flown an old American space shuttle into it at terminal velocity, activating the ejection device at the last possible moment so that there was little chance of it colliding with the space colony to eliminate it. Of how it was part of Sigma's plan to use me as a way of destroying the humans through the original Maverick Virus. My virus, the one that had led to the major Maverick Uprisings in the past. Sigma had failed, but the damaged had already been done.

Suddenly the air seemed to still. I felt a cold dread grip me, and I knew that something was wrong. I was not alone. Over the roar of reentry, I could hear him loud and clear.

"No…" Weil said, "This isn't over yet!"

I stared at the gaping wound in the floor in shock and horror as the mad scientist slowly, cursing. _"I won't die!"_ he screamed nearly incoherently at me, _"I won't die from only this!"_

_"Weil!" _I screamed back at, gripping my saber tightly in my fist.

_It can't be! How could he have survived!?_

It dawned on me that this was how Ragnarok was still in one piece. Weil's original body must've retained enough of its functions to keep the core intact despite our furious melee only moments before. Even still, his new armor was in ruins. The panels were chipped and dented, with gaping holes appearing here and there. One of his arms hung uselessly at his side, partially covered by the tattered cloak that had been draped around his shoulders. Again the conical glass helmet that incased Weil's head had been shattered, allowing his long, greasy white hair to fall around him freely. He fixed his insane, red-eyed gaze on me, a malicious smile twisting his pale face.

"Hehehe… Bwahahaha!" he tittered, breaking out into full-blown laughter, "I told you… I can't die! Nobody can stop Ragnarok now!"

I snarled. I had been so close! I can't let him win now! Suddenly, my comm. crackled to life as Ciel contacted me once more.

"Z-Zero!" she cried, "There's no time! Get back here!"

My eyes narrowed as I stared hatefully at the insane doctor before me. "No, there is a way," I said to the woman who had reawakened me, "If I destroy Weil's core, the explosion will take Ragnarok out with it…"

Weil's eyes widened momentarily at my audacity, and then narrowed as he returned my stare with a hateful glare of his own. I continued on, letting myself grin confidently at my adversary. "If Ragnarok is blown apart, it no longer poses a threat!"

"But what about you?" came Ciel's reply over the intercom. However, before I could answer, Weil burst out laughing.

"Bwahahaha! Are you even _capable _of it!?" he roared, confusing me, "The Reploid hero… Protecting justice and humanity! I am one of those humans you were sworn to protect! Do you have it in you to defeat me!?"

Quite suddenly, one of Ragnarok's massive cables shot out and connected itself to Weil in his upper back at the mad scientist's outburst, followed by a second one plugging itself into a slot lower on his body. Weil grimaced in obvious pain, and I stared in horror. When he noticed my stare, his face contorted in anger.

_"Do you see this pain!?" _he screamed. As before, his outburst seemed to summon even more of the cables, connecting themselves in an ever-increasing pace as he continued to scream at me. _"You'd NEVER understand any of it!!"_

As Weil further fused himself with Ragnarok, his body began to change. It expanded, warped, and elongated as the energy being transferred over to him blinded me in iridescent white light. As it cleared, I beheld a giant mechanical monstrosity in front of me. It was held up by the numerous power cables that had connected themselves to it, while the old cloak draped down them. The original arrowhead-shaped panel of the core had widened and split open in the center, where a giant white spike jutted out like an obscene horn. The original shoulders had also changed, looking more like weapon batteries. Between them was another white spike, smaller and duller than the lower one. In its center, surrounded by metal framework and armor, was Dr. Weil's insane, grinning head. Hatred danced in his red eyes.

_I can't let this go on! I didn't fight this far for nothing! I won't lose!_

I couldn't let this continue any longer. Once again the world was in danger. I couldn't let Weil destroy the world they all sacrificed themselves to build! This isn't what Ciel, Niege, Cerveau, and Alouette deserved! This isn't what Axl, Alia, and Signas fought for! This isn't what Colonel and Iris died for!

This isn't what X sacrificed _everything_ for!

"I never cared about justice, and I don't recall ever calling myself a hero…"

I spread my legs back into a combat stance, my right arm behind me, gripping the Z-Saber tightly, while my left hand was held before me, ready to wield my buster pistol.

"I have always only fought for the people I believe in."

My long golden hair whipped back furiously in the rushing wind, and a new determination filled me, burning like azure fire in my blue eyes.

"I won't hesitate…" I declared to my insane foe, activating my Z-Saber's blade, "If an enemy appears in front of me, I will destroy it!"

Ciel was screaming over the intercom. "Zero! Zero!" Her gentle voice was now filled with desperation and fear. Fear I had to allay.

"Ciel… believe in me!"

_"Zerooo!!!"_

As my intercom shut off, cutting her pained cries off from my hearing, Weil readied himself for my assault. The upper horn elongated and lengthened, becoming wickedly sharp as blood-red orbs like eyes appeared along its surface. A transparent orange dome formed itself from Weil's armor over his head, and his unholy visage leered at me. Despite the armor, I heard him loud and clear. _"I am your worst nightmare!"_

Immediately, the lower horn lowered as many smaller spikes appeared around it and launched from Weil's lower body. As the battle begun, I could feel part of myself detach as the battle rage descended on me, just like always. I leapt into the air, activating my boots' dash boosters, my blade cutting through the heating air at Weil's armored head. For some reason, despite the furious melee we had begun, Ciel was on my mind.

_Ciel.__ I'm sorry, Ciel. Don't think I never knew of your hidden feelings. Don't think I never saw the desire in your eyes. You made me feel things I thought I had buried in my past._

The energy I had gathered into the saber through the use of my best friend's X-Buster technology maxed out, I swung my sword downward in a powerful arc, the green triangular blade blasting out with a powerful shockwave of energy that slammed into the mad scientist's head. I landed on the metal plate that had held the metal spike and pushed myself away from him, twisting around as I grabbed my Buster Shot from my back, and fired off several rounds at his head as I sailed over the returning spike, landing easily on the ground.

_I could tell that you loved me. But I couldn't return your feelings. I wanted to, but I couldn't risk it. Those who love me die. I couldn't let you suffer the same fate Iris did._

_"Play with him!" _I heard Weil shout. I spun around in time to see two green portals open up, releasing a pair of Bosects, which instantly began to worm their way towards me. I quickly dispatch them with my saber before turning around, inserting my saber into the magazine slot of my Buster Shot, and launching a charged shot at Weil's domed face. However, the blast struck the raised spike and deflected harmlessly. In response, blue light flashed up the length of his upper horn, and when it reached the tip, multiple orbs of blue energy shot out at me. I dashed to and fro to escape, but a few of them scored at me, causing me minor pain which I shrugged off easily.

_Iris… oh Iris.__ I'm so sorry… I never wanted to hurt you or your brother. I tried so hard to stop him. But we were the one and the same; we had no choice but to fight. He told me to tell you that he died happy. But you were gone. You left for outer space, taking my heart with you._

The spike protecting Weil's faceplate lowered again as he shouted, calling me foolish. However, before I could move in to strike, blue energy started to gather around it, and it began to draw me in as well. I activated my dash boosters again and shot backwards as a gray crystal orb fired from Weil's body, spitting out smaller crystalline orbs. I shot in between the numerous crystals, wincing only slightly when one cut past my leg, and shot into the air at Weil. My blade stabbed forward and cut just alongside the Weil's protective covering.

_Why did you have to die? It seems like everyone I come into contact are destroyed… but perhaps… I'll see you there… on the other side. Will you be waiting for me?_

I landed on the lower spike, balancing myself. My blade flashed out three times in a simple combo, slicing at the core repeatedly. I saw him grimace in pain and fury with each blow landed.

_We were a team. X, Axl, and myself. X had always been wary of Axl, feeling he was too inexperienced and enthusiastic to be a help. Then he saved our lives by defeating Sigma._

After I completed my combo, I slashed out with a Shouenga attack, and the Z-Saber ignited with fire energy as my blade cut upwards at the transformed doctor. However, I managed to get too close to him, and a protective barrier shield sent electricity coursing through me, shorting my system and causing tremendous pain. I was thrown back to the floor by the shield, but I had recovered enough to land on my feet and readied myself for the next attack.

_You saw us through to the end, Axl. It was you who ended the Maverick Wars, really. Because of Lumine… you went Maverick. It drove X to find a cure. And that cure gave him the idea of the Mother Elf._

Weil's bottom spike lowered again, and I began to move forward when I noticed the terrible grin on his face. "Let's see you worm your way out of this, Zero!" he shouted to me as a number of green energy webs formed around me. I desperately slashed at each one as the came closer, practically dancing on my feet, but they kept appearing and I was quickly netted. As it slowly drew me up to eye level with my foe, I could see yellow energy gathering around the faceplate. I struggled against my bonds, knowing I had to escape. It wouldn't be long before Ragnarok collided with Earth.

_You said before that no Reploid could understand you, Weil. Understand your lust for power. But maybe I understand a bit better than you think. After all, you're just like my creator._

As memories that had previously been lost to me, memories I didn't even have during the Maverick Wars, resurfaced in my mind, I activated the Z-Saber and slashed through the webbing that held me. As I dropped to the floor, Weil fired. A large golden beam of energy lashed out from Weil's faceplate, vaporizing the very area I had been trapped in previously. I inserted my sword into the Buster Shot and charged up for an energy blast. As Weil's beam attack subsided, I fired the charged shot at the dome, smiling in satisfaction as I heard his pained cry when the blast connected. I noticed that his faceplate showed signs of wear. The rest of his battle body also showed damage from the feedback of his attacks.

_He wanted control of the mechanical population, too. Time after time he tried to control the world, sending his robotic generals out to take over. He kept going and going until he built me, his masterpiece. The one who was created to destroy his rival. But at least he gave the humans more credit. Even he still had a heart. What's your excuse, Weil?_

Red energy gathered around Weil's faceplate as the spike lowered once more. I readied my self for another attack, but I had to duck when three red blasts of energy were launched. One went high, one went straight, and one went low—straight at me. My saber was charged, and I slashed the ground with it, causing a massive burst of energy to negate the energy orb. Moving quickly, I slammed my Z-Saber into the Buster Shot and charged up, releasing the blast at Weil's unprotected face. He bellowed as the charge shot hit, but that terrible sneer remained. He began laughing, and I soon found out why. The remaining two orbs had exploded, sending many other smaller orbs straight for me. I avoided as best as I could, but many hit me, and I cried out in pain.

_X… we were so different, you and I. You always hated to fight, and to kill, yet you were one of the greatest warriors out there. How could you be such? Nothing ever defeated you. Sigma tried so many times, even using you against me, but you always won. You were my best friend. I'm sorry I had to abandon you during the Elf Wars. My copy body had been ruined by Omega's assault… and my resolve ruined by my guilt. I could no longer help. But I'm glad that Axl was there to see it through to the end. And even in the end, despite all the bloodshed, you persevered to save the humans… you gave up everything for them, even your own body… and now, your life. I'll prove to you that your sacrifice wasn't in vain!_

With renewed vigor, I leapt to my feet, separating the Z-Saber from the Buster Shot. I ran back at Weil, firing the pistol at Weil's faceplate, trying to cause further injury, as I readied my blade for another attack. The spike had lowered and gold energy gathered around Weil, negating each shot of my Buster. The golden beam shot forth from the Core of Ragnarok once more, and the entire structure lowered. With a curse, I activated the emergency acceleration systems in my boots and dashed forward, the beam passing me overhead. The beam dissipated just as Weil's face was level with my body, leaving me unharmed. Smirking, I attacked Weil's face with Buraitotsu. The blade of my Z-Saber transformed into a lightning bolt, which struck Weil head-on. While the thunder blade didn't pierce the faceplate as I had hoped, it caused a violent reaction in which the energy danced across his body. The transformed lunatic screamed in pain and fury, and golden energy gathered around the faceplate once more at an even faster pace than before. Thinking quickly, I dashed back and grabbed onto the tip of Weil's upper horn. The golden beam of energy blasted out once more as Weil rose back into place. I was left unharmed, and when the beam dissipated, I let go and attacked with the Z-Saber, slashing Weil's faceplate once more. I landed on his lower spike and leapt backwards off of it. I knew the end was coming. Weil was taking a lot of damage, but my internal chronometer said I didn't have much time left. I closed my eyes.

_So much pain… so much fighting. Now I know how you must've felt, X. We've come so far, and done so much. Fighting and conquering Sigma. Sealing away the Dark Elf. Fighting your pirate copy. Chasing down Elpizo before he could destroy everything. Learning of my copy body, destroying my original body… and now this. This will be the end of our war, X. There's so much I've felt over these long years. Hatred, insanity, happiness, pain, fear… but not regret._

Weil's spike lowered for the last time. Energy charged around his faceplate to what even _I _knew would be a fatal amount. Thorns shot out of the lower spike as it launched, and blue energy trailed down to the point of Weil's upper horn. My emergency acceleration system came to life, and a shot forward. I was forced to twist my body around out of the way of the spike; one of the thorns tore into my shoulder. I ignored it and dodged the multiple energy blasts that came from the tip of Weil's horn. My Z-Saber was blazing with the energy I had gathered into it, and with a dash jump, streaking right towards Weil's shocked face. My face was twisted into a furious snarl as I brought the saber down, slashing through the faceplate.

The shockwave of the charged slash rocked all of Ragnarok, causing it to shake violently. Cracks started to appear in Weil's faceplate, and I stepped back as it shattered, revealing his face. The madman's visage was a swirl of emotion: I could see shock, horror, hatred, rage, and even fear. He was screaming.

_"For someone… like me to… be defeated!" _he roared in anger, his eyes narrowing and lighting on me, _"PERISH! PERISH AND BEGONE!"_

Explosions suddenly began to rip out of Ragnarok's core around Weil's head, and I was forced back even more. The fire that lashed out grew stronger, brighter, and more intense. I couldn't hold on. I was consumed by white light, and I screamed.

* * *

Ragnarok glowed brightly as its core was destroyed. The heat turned the falling orbital weapon into a giant fireball. Large portions of the conical weapon broke off from explosions and burnt up into the atmosphere. Slowly but surely, Ragnarok was dying. And as the massive weapon broke apart, one could almost hear the stray thought of a red-armored hero even as a maniacal scientist screeched a final curse.

_Axl… Iris… X… I'm coming._

* * *

The room was silent, save for the constant, steady beeping of the electronics housed within it. Two women stood in this room, watching the large green monitor mounted on the front wall, which provided them a constant stream of information. The first woman, a brunette Reploid dressed in green and wearing a black visor and communication unit sat in front of a large array of terminals to one side at the back of the room. The other, a blonde-haired, blue-eyed young human dressed in pink stood before the monitor, clutching her hands to her breast.

Ciel could feel her heart constricting. She had been so anxious and fearful when she had lost contact of Zero prior to his final transmission. It ran over and over in her head, unending.

_Ciel… believe in me… Ciel… believe in me… Ciel… believe in me!_

The young scientist, the one who created the copy of Mega Man X and the one who had risked her life to resurrect a Reploid hero thought to be a myth, was reaching a breaking point. She couldn't stand it, and that was when the other person finally broke the silence.

"Ragnarok…" Rouge said, hesitating, "Is… breaking apart…"

Ciel cringed as she felt dread rising up within her. The static on the monitor continued on, unmindful of the sorrow the permeated the trailer.

"Ragnarok has entered the atmosphere," continued Rouge, quietly, "Most of it will burn up on entry… Impact with Area Zero has been averted. Mission… successful…"

She couldn't take it anymore. She hailed him on the monitor, her voice crying out in desperation.

"Zero! Come in Zero!" she nearly shouted at the monitor, her voice cracking. "Zero… please… come in…"

Only static could be heard.

"There's no response from the receiver… The connection has been lost…"

Tears pouring from her eyes, Ciel barely managed to hold back a sob as she felt her heart break.

"…"

She tore her eyes away from the screen, closing them as she slowly turned around. When she opened them again, she was facing the door. She took a step, then another, and another, walking to the open exit. Before she was halfway across the room she was running, out the door and into the twilight.

"Ciel!" Rouge shouted after her, alarmed.

Ciel ran and ran, ignoring the panicked cries of the Resistance operator that she ran past, heading for Area Zero even as night fell.

* * *

Stars filled the sky over the ruins of the crashed space colony, Eurasia. Not a sound was made, peace finally settling in over the ruined monument of an age gone by, and the settlement camped within its regenerating grounds. The people of Area Zero and the Resistance soldiers gathered near the center of the camp, watching the sky solemnly, no one speaking.

And just then, a bright light streaked across the dark skies for a brief moment before disappearing. A young boy cried out in amazement, catching the attention of everyone present.

"Oh! A shooting star!"

More of them streaked across the sky, showering it with brilliant, flickering lights in steady intervals. The child looked on, his hat nearly falling off of his brown mop of hair.

"Wow, look!" he exclaimed, cerulean eyes widening in amazement. "A lot of shooting stars!"

Looking carefully, a serious young man standing below the boy thought, then spoke to the group for all to hear. "No, those are pieces of Ragnarok… Does this mean… we're saved?" he asked.

A pair of dark blue eyes looked up at the alighted heavens, a pang of sorrow in her heart. The Reploid she had fallen in love with had killed aboard Ragnarok, and his body left there. It, too, was now gone. Another Reploid, one clad in armor, one who had saved them all, was also aboard the plummeting weapon. He had been a friend, someone who had come to her aid several times during the bleak period.

"Craft…" whispered Neige, barely audible. "Zero…"

The patter of feet could be heard as someone ran into the camp, quickly approaching the center of the group. Ciel slowed down as she passed by a dark-haired Reploid in a green coat, his eyes concealed by a advanced visor, and a little girl with blonde hair and clad in a pink dress, clutching a stuffed cat to her chest tightly. Cerveau and Allouette stared apprehensively at their commander as she came to stop near shelving unit, looking up at Neige.

"… Did you… reach Zero?" Cerveau asked, his voice wavering.

"…" Ciel could not answer, and for a brief second, her face almost collapsed in anguish. Allouette twitched, wanting to approach the woman who had saved her and become her sister. However, the young Reploid girl remained still.

"…" the old Reploid remained silent, Ciel's silence answering his question that he had been afraid to ask.

Silence permeated the group once more as more fragments burned across the sky.

"Zero, why…" he whispered, breaking the silence once more.

"How could this happen…" a Resistance soldier, Colbor, murmured, his head hung low as his grip around his rifle strap tightened. "After saving all of us… and just when humans and Reploids were finally coming together…"

Colbor asked the question that was on everyone's minds.

"What do we do now?"

"…"

"…"

Ciel lowered her hands from her chest and closed her eyes, her head hung low. Her lips trembled, and spoke.

"It's okay… I'm sure Zero is… still out there…"

Everyone looked up at her, staring intently. They could see the struggle and the denial in her wet eyes. She suddenly looked up again, a wavering smile on her lips. "And one day he'll come back to us!"

Once more she began walking, moving around the cargo stands and soon running off into the forests of Area Zero.

"Ciel…" Neige murmured sadly, watching her flee.

Ciel pumped her arms as she ran, gaining ground and heading deeper into the forest. She came upon a clearing and ran up a sharp incline, reaching a ledge occupied only by a single tree at where the hill straightened out. At the tree's base she stopped, supporting herself with her hands on her knees as she took several gasping breaths, a stitch in her side. And finally, the dam broke, and she collapsed to her knees, a heart-wrenching wail escaping from her as she finally let her grief show.

For many long minutes the young woman wept, her anguished cries filling the clearing as a soft wind blew, throwing her golden ponytail back occasionally. The wind seemed to embrace her, comforting her in her time of loss. All of the times she spent with Zero flashed through her mind. She remembered how they had met, with them surrounded by Neo Arcadia's Pantheons, and how he took the Buster Shot from a fallen Resistance soldier and defended her as they made their way through the underground laboratory. She remembered how the floor had collapsed beneath her feet, and Zero caught her as she fell. And she remembered how Zero saved her when X had returned to him the Z-Saber, destroying a Golem in a single attack. More memories flooded her mind, and she relived all of the many conversations they had since they first met. How he had supported her research in solving the energy crisis, and all of the times he reassured her during bleak hours. She remembered how he had not blamed her for her creation of Copy X, saying she had only followed her heart.

Slowly, her wracking sobs quieted and died out. Her legs shaking, Ciel unsteadily rose to her feet, clasping her hands together over her heart, and turned her gaze skyward, watching the pieces of Ragnarok disintegrate in reentry. Her eyes were red and puffy, testament to her crying from earlier, conveying her hurt and sorrow. Her lips trembled, and to the sky, she spoke, hoping Zero would hear her.

"Zero… you believed in us…" Her voice wavered, and was soft. Here, no longer was she the brilliant scientist and leader of the Resistance, but a scared, hurt girl who had lost someone she had loved. Despite the pain in her heart, she continued.

"Now it's our turn to show you that your faith in us was not misplaced…"

Slowly, a smile broke out across her face, tears welling up in her eyes again. Her smile was one of life and hope, filled with promise.

"Watch, Zero… I'll make this world a better place… one where humans and Reploids can walk hand in hand, together in peace… Just come back someday… I…"

Tears slipped down her face, cutting rivulets through the dirt that had accumulated on her cheeks from all her running, dripping from the sides of her face and spattering on her dress.

"I believe in you!"

* * *

It was the dawn of a new day, and the golden sun rose up from the horizon, illuminating the vast wasteland desert with a light promising a new hope. The wars were over; Weil was gone, as was Neo Arcadia. It was a time to rejoice in the new freedom, a time to mourn for the fallen, and a time to rebuild. The night before had shone with a thousand shooting stars, as the vast space-borne superweapon Ragnarok had been destroyed by a valiant hero from ages past. And now, the aftermath of that great battle marked these ruined lands, the wreckage of Ragnarok strewn about.

As the sun rose up, its light glinted off of a broken, crimson helmet half buried in the sands.

I could feel the wind, rushing past me. I was falling, gliding downwards to some unknown destination. After a moment, I realized my eyes were closed. I opened them, feeling my helmet was missing from the rest of my attire. While I didn't move my head, my eyes roamed about, taking in what I saw. Everything had a strange, digital green hue to it.

_This is… Cyberspace?_

I had been here before, when Omega's return to Earth had opened up various gateways to this strange realm. I had realized that Cyberspace was much like the afterlife for Reploids… during my journey into Sub Arcadia, I had stumbled through one of the gates and found myself face to face with an old rival… Phantom.

_Then that must mean…_

Blinking, the realization slowly came to me. I had perished in the battle, but not before I had destroyed Weil and Ragnarok. Realizing that Ciel, Alouette, and the others were safe, I felt that I could go on in death with no regrets.

Gazing about, my eyes noted the massive structure appearing below, a saucer-like construct with a shattered plexiglass dome around its top, holding the ruins of a destroyed city. I understood. This was a fitting place to return to, the ruins of crashed Eurasia, the place I had fought so hard to protect so that the humans could survive. Would they be here, waiting for me? I fell deeper and deeper, coming ever closer to the wrecked colony. And as I fell, I could see three faint figures, standing vigil. My eyes widened as they became clear, and I slowly flew down to them.

They stood, spread apart slightly, each one looking up towards me, two of them flanking either side of the farthest being. To my right, the first being was a woman with long brown hair and bright green eyes. Old Reploid armor adorned her, colored red and blue, and shaped like a uniform dress. Her long brown hair cascaded down her back, held together in a ponytail by a large band. A red beret crowned her head, and she held her hands clasped in front of her chest. Iris's face had a joyful expression, a faint tinge of red on her cheeks as she stared up at me. Beyond her, standing off to the side, was a younger male Reploid, clad in red, black, and gray battle armor. A large blue crystal was imbedded in his chest, red lines running from it across his armor, and another crystal was set into the forehead of his helmet. A shock of red hair jutted from the back of his helmet, and a large, X-shaped scar crossed the bridge of his nose, between his eyes. Axl was holding one of his A-Bullet pistols on his shoulder, grinning upon my arrival.

Beyond them, directly ahead of me, was a tall Reploid, also male, and clad in familiar blue armor. His face was framed by a blue helmet, a red gem set into it, and he stared at me intently with green eyes, a small smile gracing his serious face. I finally touched down, settling in front of him, and stood. Our right arms extended and wrapped around each other, and X smiled at me as we were reunited at last.

_I've felt so much along this journey. Hatred, insanity, happiness, pain, fear… but not regret._


End file.
